Bolasco has pointed to strong growth in fruit and nut ingredient sales in Eastern Europe this year. Consumers in these territories have sought variety in sweet treats and confectionery, which has stimulated an increase in fruit varieties in a wide range of sectors.
In Poland, there have been several popular chocolate bar launches over the past 12 months that incorporate raisins and dried cranberries and Croatian consumers have welcomed sweetened dried cranberries as snacks and bakery ingredients. Southern Europe has also seen growth, as fruit nougat and cookies with fruit inclusions are now popular in Greece.
'Inclusions are growing in popularity in Eastern Europe, with a wealth of traditional bread varieties incorporating seeds and dried fruits such as prunes,' commented Beatrix Kachel, country manager, Eastern Europe, Bolasco. 'Through our Bolasco brand we've seen greater variety emerging in this category, including breads with dried cranberries. Dried fruit carries a strong health message, which has helped to drive sales.'
As consumer awareness of antioxidants and vitamins has improved, consumer demand for healthy snacks has grown. Fruit ingredients can provide bright points of colour that enhance product differentiation on shelf. Dried fruit inclusions are straightforward to incorporate, with no need for pre-soaking, and there is no moisture migration or colour bleed in the final product.
Fruit and nut ingredients such as dried cranberries, cherries. raisins, prunes and almonds are well established in cereals and cereal bars in Eastern Europe. The Bolasco functional fruit concept was created to supply high quality fruit and nut ingredients across Europe and can offer processing and marketing advice to manufacturers looking to innovate.
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